Comeback Sunday for Carrick Senior Men’s and Ladies’ Teams

23 Jan 2013

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Men’s Team: Carrick on Shannon 17-15 Connemara: After a slow start, Carrick on Shannon RFC put in an excellent second half performance to complete a deserved victory over Connemara RFC in the Connacht J1c League.

Men’s Team: Carrick on Shannon 17-15 Connemara: After a slow start, Carrick on Shannon RFC put in an excellent second half performance to complete a deserved victory over Connemara RFC in the Connacht J1c League.

Connemara started the stronger and punished poor discipline from Carrick, racing into a 12-0 lead with some assured kicking from the Connemara number 10. Carrick restored their discipline and were rewarded with two fine tries from the Carrick back-row, scored by Dermot Foley and Dennis McCaffrey with both tries converted by Kevin Coffey.

The Carrick scrum began to dominate at this point in the game. The front row with Joe Kennedy and Joe Mulvey operating on either side of Colm McWeeney, gave the Connemara front row a difficult time, with Carrick eventually winning two penalties. Indiscipline from Carrick however left Connemara with a penalty from a difficult position to win the game. However, thankfully for Carrick the penalty kick went wide and Carrick recorded their first win of the season with a respectable score of 17- 15.

Training continues on Wednesday and Friday nights in Castlecara at 8pm. More info can be found on our website www.carrickrugbyclub.ie and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/carrick.o.rfc.

Ladies’ Team: Carrick on Shannon 10-5 Ballyshannon: The Ladies Team played their rugby hearts out in two games this week, the first against NUIG on Wednesday night last in a challenge game, the second against Ballyshannon in the Ulster Cup Sunday last.

The challenge game was kindly facilitated by Castlebar RFC and by some Castlebar Ladies team members who completed the Carrick on Shannon’s Ladies’ team to play the game. This game was fought under extremely foggy conditions, mainly on the Carrick home front with NUIG only able to break Carrick’s strong defensive line and excellent scrummaging once for the one and only unconverted try of the game. Despite the loss, the score-line gave Carrick a very positive boost going forward for their competitive game against Ballyshannon in the Ulster Cup the following Sunday 20th January.

The Ladies travelled to Ballyshannon on Sunday. The Leitrim women dominated the match in every aspect of the game for the first 20 minutes. Carrick’s scrum half and out half pairing of Claire Carty and Marie Clerki, ensured that they held possession for phase after phase utilising both the forwards and backs and realising the potential for the wingers Martina Flattery and Catriona Lynch. Ballyshannon tried to put pressure on Carrick at times by kicking from their half but fullback Michelle Duffy fielded these kicks well. 25 minutes into the game and from a scrum inside Carrick’s 22, Ballyshannon scored the first points of the day. From the restart Claire McDermott and Cliodhna O’Donnell were putting pressure on the Ballyshannon back-line leading to handling errors. Carrick kept their cool and some formidable picking and going from forwards Maeve McKeon, Catriona Kielty and Player of the Match Aoife O’Brien gained good ground. A quick line-out took the Donegal women by surprise and saw Carrick in a strong attacking position. Both centres, Emma Murphy and Cliodhna O’Donnell, ran some impressive lines attacking the Donegal defence, however both teams as suggested by the referee were tackling “clumsily high” at times, which certainly put pressure on the pairing. Carrick’s patience was rewarded close to half time when flanker Claire McDermott scored a try after she stole possession from Ballyshannon’s inside centre. Experienced players Lisa O’Donnell, Clare McLoughlin and Aoife Kelly organised Carrick’s defensive line well and ensured many of Ballyshannon’s mauls were held up. However Carrick’s rucking was weak and several penalties were conceded for not releasing the ball. Their second try came when winger Martina Flattery made a break from inside her own half down the wing past three Ballyshannon players and breaking two tackles. She was eventually grounded five metres short of the line, however Vice Captain Marie Clerkin was there to receive Flattery’s pop up pass and score the try the Leitrim women badly needed. The blustery conditions made kicking difficult so McDermott’s conversion failed to pass the bars. Carrick’s Captain Kelly Richardson took full advantage when it became apparent that Ballyshannon were struggling in the scrum, moving from eight to tight head prop, not only winning several scrums against the head and delivering the ball back for her scrum half, but also from the frees that the Donegal women persistently conceded, crossing the line for a third try but sadly being held up.

Subs Trish Anderson & Ornaith Grimes contributed greatly in the second half making several try saving tackles on the wing. All in all a very successful game for the Carrick on Shannon Ladies, however celebrations are short lived as they now concentrate on their next match against Sligo, next weekend.

The Ladies’ Team welcome new members with no previous rugby playing experience necessary. Ladies’ training takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:30 at Castlecara Rd Training ground. Further info can be found on the club website www.carrickrugbyclub.ie or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/carrick.o.rfc.

Féileacáin Fundraising night: Carrick RFC are hosting an 80’s themed fundraising night in Murtagh’s Bar and Elevation on Friday, February 8, to raise much needed funds for Féileacáin Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Association of Ireland (SANDAI). Fancy dress is optional. Registration for Table Quiz will begin at 8pm with teams of four costing €40 and donations welcome on the night. The table quiz will be followed by a disco with special guest DJ Brendan Farrell. Funds raised on the night will enable Féileacáin and Jake’s Gift to purchase cuddle cots for Sligo and North West Regional hospitals. Tickets will be available from Joe Mulvey 0876380043, Jason Roddy 0867033648, Derek Burns 0863473100, Nuala Cullen 0863298415, Tony Murphy, or pay at the door on the night.

Congratulatons: Massive congratulations to Ornaith Grimes of the Carrick Ladies’ team on her engagement to Davitt O’Shannon of the Men’s team. Carrick on Shannon RFC also wish to congratulate Sean McEeon on the occasion of his 40th Birthday. There’s more rugby in him yet.

If you wish, you can contact us using any of the methods below: Leitrim Observer,3 Hartley Business Park,Carrick-on-shannon, Co LeitrimEmail: editor@leitrimobserver.ieTelephone: 071 9620025

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